22 June 2006

NAMI's Golden Triangle Affiliate

Tomorrow, Friday 23 June 2006, will be the first meeting for NAMI's Golden Triangle Affiliate. NAMI is National Alliance on Mental Illness, a non profit organization. All of our services are free, and include family education and support for families of people with Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. The Affiliate will form to make decisions about how NAMI will serve the community. Professionals, family members and those with illnesses in recovery are welcome. The meeting will be held at East Mississippi Community College main campus, which serves the Golden Triangle Area, based in Mayhew, MS.

Support groups are already available in the Golden Triangle, with one in Columbus and one in Starkville; we plan to establish one in West Point, as well. However, NAMI offers so much more than support groups only. For more information on NAMI, go to: www.nami.org

Earlier this week, NAMI's Golden Triangle Affiliate received an invitation to participate in the 7th annual Health Fair at United Methodist, in Starkville, on Saturday 5 August, 9a to noon. This is a very good opportunity for us to help people in the community, through education, awareness, support meetings, and so forth. I am thrilled that this will be one of the first things we do as a newly established affiliate.

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It's a not-for-profit, grassroots organization that educates, supports, and advocates people who are impacted by mental illnesses. The National Convention is at the end of this month in DC. NAMI Mississippi's Annual State Conference is usually in Jackson, in the Fall of the year. To better serve the community's needs, we are establishing NAMI's Golden Triangle Affiliate. Our focus will be primarily within Clay (West Point), Lowndes (Columbus), and Oktibbeha (Starkville) counties. One of my main objectives is to make our presence known in the Golden Triangle!

NAMI has had support groups in Columbus and Starkville for just shy of a year, now. We offer support for those affected by Mental Illnesses &/or Brain Disorders. This may be consumers (individuals with the conditions), family members, care-providers, friends, employers, other service providers, etc. Our support meetings are held on the second Thursday each month. For more information, please contact me at 662/324-8443 or via eMail at: dkb1116@peoplepc.com.

NAMI does offer so much more than support. Education workshops, printed materials, and multi-media presentations are a few ways we can help consumers, family members, and care-providers cope with the impact mental illnesses can have on our lives and the ones whom we love and serve. Children benefit from many of our services, as we help to better prepare care-providers through education, support, and advocacy. In particular, NAMI offers three classes: Peer to Peer educates consumers; Family to Family assists family members with their own boundaries and issues, as well as how to help their loved ones cope; and Visions for Tomorrow is specifically designed to effectively address children with mental illnesses &/or brain disorders. Another educational presentation is called "In Our Own Voices: Living with Mental Illness". I have given this hour long, multi-media, interactive presentation that has been tailored to suit specific audiences' needs. In some cases, attendees can receive continuing education credits/units. This presentation is highly effective and enjoyable, and can be modified to each group's purposes. If you are interested in this presentation, would like more information, contact me and I will be glad to work with you to meet yourneeds.

For more information about NAMI and the three most common mental illnesses (depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia), please visit our website at: www.nami.org. Obviously, I can ramble about all we have to offer!

I do realize that posting to my journal may not be a very effective way to let folks know about our group in particular; however, NAMI has affiliates in every state, most cities, and many rural areas. To find out what is located in your area and how you can be involved, please visit the website: www.nami.org &/or comment here, write eMail, and I will be more than happy to answer your questions regarding NAMI, mental illnesses &/or brain disorders, where you may find more information in your own local area, etc.